Lamp-shade construction



July 3, 1928.

E. G. PATTERSON LAMP SHADE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 5, 1927 Patented July 3, 1928. i

UNITED; STA

res

ERNEST G. PATTERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LAMP-slums cons'rnuc'rron.

Application filed my 5.1927. .S erial in. 208,540.

These improvements relate-tr) lamp shades. They have a particular relatlon to frames for such shades and also to shade frame coverings. The chief objects are to reduce cost in production and (l1Sl311l311t10I1,: largely through a saving of space in the storage and shipment of the articles, the avoidance of some assembling operations during production or at the time of sale, and the urtherance of convenience to manufacturer, dealer and. user.

In the drawings which form a part hereof Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved frame complete in a simpleform; Fig. 2 1s a perspective showing part of the frame n collapsed condition ;Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofa lamp shade completeaccording to these improvements with a lamp base shown by dotted lines; Fig. {lis a fragmentary and partly sectional top View of frame parts associated with the shade covering; Fig. 5

is a fragmentary perspective of one of the frame rings associated with the covering;

and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective looking down somewhat from the top showing enlarged certain details seen in face View of Fig. 3.

The frame of Fig. 1 comprises an upper ring 10, a lower ring 11, andstandards 12 3o connecting these rings The rings 10 'and 11 may bcof any ring-like shape, for example square or octagonal as desired. They are preferably of wire. Eachstanda'rd 12 is connected to the ring 10 so as to swing with respect thereto, the connection shown comprising a turn formingan eye'in the standard wire at 13 surrounding the wirelO. Atthis turn at. 13 the wire is preferably flattened somewhat to make a wider seat and to form a more rigid connection. Extending from the turn 13 of each standard 12 is a wire part 14 lying alongside one of thebraces 15 respectively, which braces are secured as by welding to the ring 10 and to an inner 5 metallic support 16, which 'supportlfi in the particular construction shown is openin teriorly to receive a pintle extending upward from the lamp construction.

Each; extension 14 has means forholding it firmly in association with one of the braces 15,, and in two of the instances of Fig. 1 these holding means are in the form of a hookl'T which engages the standard, and the hook may be formed with a slight constrici5 tion so that it will snap upon the brace with r a good holding effect, although such a snap engagement in .not. necessary.

With respect to the extension marked 11 in Fig. 1, the hook is omitted and a metallic sleeve 18 .(sectionally shown) is slidahlc on the associated brace 15 and is illustrated as having been moved into holding engagement with the wire extension 14. y The ring ll is held atthelower ends of the standards respectively by open hooks 20. The ring 11 is of such diameter that when positioned as shown in Fig. 1 the standards 12am placed under some sprint tension, which tension is developed through the leverage provided by the connection at 13 and the holding means such as the hooks 17 or the sleeve 18. The ring 11 may readily be removed by simplypressing any one of the standards inwar until the ring is released at the associated hook 20.

. Whcn thering 11 has been removed from the standardsthe standards may be swung into their relative positions shown in Fig. 2. In the case of the sleeve 18this sleeve would first have to be moved out of holding engage'ment, but with thehook at 17 it. is Y merely necessary to swing the standards around into their arrangement across the r ng 10 or, as may be stated, into planes closely adJa'ceDt to and substantially parallel with the plane of the ring 10. In the ar rangernent shown by Fig. 2 the structure is quite compact and occupies but little space in the up and down directions.

While various kinds of coverings'could be used Wltll the collapsible frame shown, the most appropriate for it of plaited form and of matcrial such asparchment or parchment-like paper orof fabric treated so as to have a substantial body adapted to maintain the plaited form. Fig. 3 shows such an end less ring 21 of plaited material upon the frameofFigl. The inwardlydirected folds marked 21 in Fig. 5 are provided with holes 22 and 23 opposite each other in the fold parts 21 and 21? respectively. It is not newto provide such a plaited shade, nor one having holes as 22 and 23 therein. In the past such holes as22 and 23 havebeen used forthe passage therethrough of a cord for tighten m the shade upon a rigid frame generally of the shape of the collapsible one shown in Fig. 1. According to the old practice the plaited covering material was either stitched (ill here and there with thread pressing around the rings or dependence was had upon the tapering character of the frame to hold the plaited covering in place when its capacity to expand was limited by such cord or cords.

The present improvements vary from the older practice in the provision of a slot or incision at 25 and 26 (Fig. 6) between each hole 22 and each hole 23 and the free edge of each inwardly directed fold marked 21, thus forming a passageway into these holes 22 and 23 from that edge. According to these improvements the covering as 21 is applied upon the upper ring 10 and upon the lower ring 11 (the construction at the holes being the same for each ring) by forcing the inwardly directed folds inward, meaning towards the axis of the frame as a whole, so that the rings 10 and 11 respectively pass through such passageways as 25 and 26 into the holes as 22 and 23. The rings as 10 and 11 therefore pass through the body of the material instead of merely along such inner edges as 21, and the material is thus held very securely, and yet readily releasably, upon the frame, with means for adjusting the folds or plaits laterally to present the proper appearance.

It will be noted that the standards 12 are respectively provided with an offset part 12 at the top and 12 at the bottom, which offset parts carry the main body portion of the standards respectively outward. Fig. 4 shows how this part 12 carries the main body of the standard into one of the outwardly-directed folds of the plaited construction, and this serves to hold the covering material, or what might be called the shade proper, against disarrangement in use and in general strengthens the mounting of the material on the frame.

According to this construction the frame is a strong and rigid unit when assembled as in Fig. 1. Attention is called to the fact that the upper and lower rings are held against twisting or turning movements relative to each other through the interlocking relation of the extensions as 14 with the braces 15.

According to these improvements the collapsible part of the frame as shown in Fig. 2 together with the ring 11 and the shade as 21 in collapsed form may be put into a substantially shallow flat box only large enough across to accommodate the ring 11. The covering material as 21 naturally folds together into compact form and occupies but little space in the box. These several parts may be boxed without assembly at the factory and shipped to the store where the boxes occupy but relatively small space on the shelves, and the purchaser, who selects from a sample on exhibition, carries away in the original box the complete device never assembled for use. The user swings the arms or standards 12 around and applies the lower ring 11 and thereupon applies the shade or covering in the manner herein described. From time to time the user may readily remove the old and apply a new or different covering to the frame, and re.- movals for cleaning or repair is simple and easy. Such frames and shades may also be readily collapsed by the user and stored away in a small space. V

I contemplate as being included in the present improvements all such variations, changes and departures from what is thus specifically illustrated and described as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

' 1. A collapsible lamp shade frame comprising upper and lower ring-like frame members spaced apart on substantially the same axis, and connecting standard members, with means including an integral radially-directed lever-extension of the standard members respectively for holding the ring-like members against twisting movements relative to each other, the standard members being readily releasably connected to one ring-like'member and being mounted on the other ring-like member for movement into planes close to and substantially parallel with the plane of said other ring-like member to form a shallow compact unit.

2. A lamp shade frame comprising an endless ring-like member, standards mounted on said memberto swing so as to lie in a 100 direction across the ring and close thereto to form a substantially flat collapsed frame unit and to swing from said collapsed unit position into an open position to form side members for the frame, means for holding 105 the standards in substantially locked and rigid relation to said ring in the open position of the standards, a second ring-like member, and means at the free ends of the standards respectively for readily securing them to said second ring with a firm connection.

3. A collapsible lamp shade frame comprising an upper member having a middle support surrounded by a ring-like elementand braces between the support and said ring-like element, a second ring-like element spaced from the first-mentioned ring-like element on'substantially the same axis, and connecting standards between the ring-like elements, each standard being mounted on the first-mentioned ring-like element to swing thereon into collapsed and open positions respectively and having a locking element extending close to one of said braces, with means associated with each locking element for holding it readily releasably to such brace, each standard having a readily releasable catch for engaging the second mentioned ring-like element.

4. In a collapsible lamp shade frame, the combination of a spider including braces and a marginal ring, a second rin spaced in the axial directions from the rst-mentioned ring, and standards mounted on the spider with interlocking connections including a brace-engaging extension of the stand ards respectively to hold the standards and the spider in substantially fixed relations to each other when the frame is in open position, the free ends of the standards having means for holding readily releasably said secondly-mentioned ring.

5. In a collapsible lamp shade frame, the combination with frame parts including standards, of a ring-like member readily releasably held by hooks at the ends of the standards respectively, with means putting the standards under springtension to maintain the hooks in engagement with said ringlike member.

6. In a collapsible lamp shade frame, the combination with frame parts including standards, of a ring-like member readily releasably held by a radially-outwardly-directed hook on the end of each standard, with means for placing the standards under outwardly-directed spring tension.

7. A collapsible lamp shade frame comprising a pair or ring-like members spaced apart on substantially the same axis, and at least three standards connecting the rings as side members of the frame, each of the standards having an open substantially radi ally-directed hook at one end releasahly holding one of the rings, the standards being mounted on the other ring for movement into a collapsed relation thereto, with means associated with the standards respectively for holding the frame against twisting movements of one ring with respect to another thereof while establishing substantially radially-directed spring tension in the standards to maintain said hooks in tight engagement with the associated ring.

ERNEST G. PATTERSON. 

